The
International Space Station (ISS) appears small against the Earth in the
rear view of the space shuttle Endeavor, after relative separation on March 24, 2008.
Endeavour's
vertical stabilizer, orbital maneuvering system pods and payload bay can be
seen in this image photographed by an astronaut onboard the shuttle. The STS-123
crew is returning
to Earth after setting the record for the longest space station construction
mission ever flown. The mission's five spacewalks involved installing a new
two-armed Canadian robot called Dextre, and testing a new goo-slinging repair
gun that can help fix shuttle heat tiles.
Returning
with Endeavour is French astronaut Leopold Eyharts, who spent 50 days onboard
ISS helping activate the European Columbus space laboratory. His replacement, NASA
astronaut Garret Reisman, has begun his own two-month stint onboard the space
station.
— NASA and SPACE.com Staff
Credit: NASA
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